“That’s what I was told was happening,” said Diaz, who on May 5 headlines UFC on FOX 3 opposite Miller.

UFC on FOX 3 takes place at IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J. The event’s main card airs live on FOX while preliminary-card fights air on FUEL TV.

Diaz said it’s a simple process of elimination to arrive at the conclusion that he and Miller are next in line.

“I don’t see who else would get a title shot,” he said.

Of course, the UFC may be keeping its options open. Standouts like Anthony Pettis and Edson Barboza have dazzled fans with impressive recent finishes, and they could make a bid for a contender’s spot.

But if Diaz is right, the winner of next Saturday’s bout would meet the winner of an upcoming title rematch between champ Ben Henderson and the man he deposed, Frankie Edgar. That bout is scheduled for sometime this summer.

UFC president Dana White would neither confirm or deny the UFC on FOX 3 headliner would crown a contender, a UFC official said during a teleconference in support of the event.

Still, that’s added motivation for both fighters, who nonetheless said they were focused on the task at hand.

Diaz’s first run at the lightweight belt was a rocky one. He earned five consecutive wins following his turn on “The Ultimate Fighter 5″ and then fell short against division standouts Clay Guida, Joe Stevenson and Gray Maynard, all of whom used wrestling to negate his strengths in boxing and jiu-jitsu.

A trip to welterweight was equally ill-fated. He went 2-2 and was outmuscled by Rory MacDonald and Dong Hyun Kim.

Returning to lightweight has proven to be the right choice. In rapid succession, he took out the once-feared Takanori Gomi and halted the rise of Donald Cerrone in a one-sided beatdown.

Miller’s road has been far less bumpy. Following a loss to two-time title challenger Gray Maynard, he went on a seven-fight tear that put him one step away from No. 1 contender status. He was stopped there by Henderson, but recently rebounded with a quick submission over Melvin Guillard.

A title shot would presumably come in the fall for the winner, if Diaz’s information is correct.

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.